By Alan Herman

Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to visit the Rockaway Peninsula on several occasions. The purpose of these visits was not to spend time at one of the best beaches on the east coast (though the Rockaways are truly lovely), but to get to know the West End Temple community, which was devastated when Hurricane Sandy ravaged its facilities four years ago.

In the days immediately following Hurricane Sandy, the Central Community sprang into action to lend support to those in need. Supplies were collected and sorted in Lese Lobby and meals were prepared in the Pavilion kitchen to be distributed to Hurricane victims throughout the city. Central Members traveled to areas that were hardest hit to help directly with recovery efforts. Many Central members wanted to offer financial contributions as well, so we established a Central Synagogue Hurricane Relief Fund. Through the generosity of our members, The Relief Fund remains an ongoing effort, led by Laura Rothschild, Bob Heller, Caren Keller, Rabbi Ben Greenberg and myself.

This past spring, a Central Member who has ties to the Rockaway Community, shared with us the ongoing challenges that West End Temple continues to experience in their recovery from Sandy. I was asked to visit the community and see how we might help. I made my first visit to West End in the late spring for a Friday Night Shabbat Service.

The condition of their sanctuary left me speechless. I could not comprehend how a congregation just 25 miles away from Central could be in such disrepair. Although much of the building that is used for the religious school, Universal Pre-K, and community engagement, has now been reconstructed, at the beginning of the summer their sanctuary still had exposed sheet rock, water stained wood benches, bare cement floors, and a plywood bimah with a folding table and furniture borrowed from other congregations.

The road to rebuilding has not been a quick or easy one for West End. In many instances, the temple must not only rebuild the damage caused by more than five feet of water, but must rebuild according to new hurricane-proof codes, which can double or triple the costs.

Over the past few months Laura, Caren, Bob, Rabbi Greenberg, and I have spent much time learning about West End Temple and getting to know their leadership. Through our conversations with them, we have discovered a real way to help. We are contributing the remaining 50% balance from the Central Synagogue Hurricane Relief Fund to complete the building of the new bimah and bimah furniture for West End Temple. West End initially gave a 50% deposit for the construction three years ago but as funds were needed for more pressing renovations, this project needed to be put on hold. West End’s congregants are thrilled with this gift and are looking forward to worshiping and celebrating life cycle events in front of the new bimah for years to come.

Alan Herman is a Trustee of Central Synagogue and has been a leader of volunteer efforts for the community. He runs the synagogue’s ongoing Breakfast and Sandwich Making programs, which feed hundreds of New Yorkers every week. Alan and his wife Miriam also created a Central volunteer program at Ronald McDonald House.